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Press Release
$3.2 billion scheme to encourage replacement of old diesel commercial vehicles
The Environmental Protection Department today (March 28) announced details of a $3.2 billion scheme to improve roadside air quality by encouraging early replacement of pre-Euro and Euro I diesel commercial vehicles with new ones complying with prevailing Euro IV emission standards.
From April 1, owners who scrap their pre-Euro and Euro I diesel commercial vehicles and replace them with new commercial vehicles complying with the prevailing emission standard for registration of new diesel commercial vehicles, which is now Euro IV emission standards, will receive a one-off grant. Depending on vehicle types, the grant ranges from $10,000 to a maximum of $173,000 per vehicle.
"The grant will be made available for 18 months for pre-Euro diesel commercial vehicles, except those over four tonnes of long-idling operational mode1; and three years for Euro I diesel commercial vehicles and those pre-Euro vehicles over four tonnes of long-idling operational mode," a department spokesman said.
Under the scheme, pre-Euro vehicles are those first-registered before April 1, 1995. Euro I vehicles are those first-registered between April 1, 1995, and March 31, 1997, for buses and goods vehicles over four tonnes, and between April 1, 1995, and September 30, 1998, for other diesel commercial vehicles.
"Diesel commercial vehicles are the dominant air pollution source at street level. Among them, pre-Euro and Euro I ones account for about 80% and 70% respectively of the respirable suspended particulates (RSP) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from the entire diesel commercial vehicle fleet," the spokesman said.
Replacing all pre-Euro and Euro I diesel commercial vehicles with Euro IV models will reduce the vehicular emissions of RSP and NOx by 74% and 38% respectively. The territory-wide emissions of RSP and NOx will be reduced by 18% and 10% respectively. Such reductions would bring marked improvement to roadside air quality, the spokesman said.
Details of the scheme are available at EPD's website.
Ends/Wednesday, March 28, 2007
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